Solaris, Europe’s leading manufacturer of hydrogen buses, has signed a contract with transport operator Ruhrbahn GmbH to supply 19 innovative hydrogen buses to Essen, Germany. The order includes the delivery of nine Urbino 12 hydrogen models and ten Urbino 18 hydrogen models.

700 fuel cell buses in Solaris’ order book

Solaris is today the largest manufacturer of hydrogen buses and boasts an order book of more than 700 vehicles, 180 of which are already serving European cities and 530 are scheduled for delivery in the coming months. The German market is particularly active, investing in hydrogen-powered buses.

Urbino hydrogen buses are already operating in cities such as Cologne, Wuppertal, Hofolding, Weimar, Frankfurt, Gross-Zimmern, and in the Munich metropolitan area. Moreover, further contracts are in the pipeline, including Aschaffenburg, Krefeld, Güstrow, Gross-Gerau, Hamburg and Duisburg.

The ordered buses will be equipped with hydrogen fuel cells that generate electrical energy onboard. The 12-meter models will use a 70 kW fuel cell, while the articulated buses will have a 100 kW fuel cell. All models will be powered by central electric motors. Urbino hydrogen buses will also feature Solaris High Power batteries designed to support the fuel cell during increased activity.

The vehicles will be air-conditioned using CO2 device with heat pump heating function. In addition, each Urbino hydrogen will offer passengers practical USB chargers and an extensive passenger information system. The increase in passenger and driver safety will be ensured by GSR2 Systems, which include among others turn-assistant and brake-assistant. The operator has also opted for eSConnect, Solaris’ proprietary tool that allows full access to the data necessary to assess the bus’s performance and plan its further operation.

“We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to supply Essen with the latest hydrogen vehicles, which will not only enhance passenger comfort but also represent a new stage in the transformation of the transportation industry. I am delighted that Ruhrbahn has decided to take this strategic step for the transformation of the transport industry and that together we can shape a more sustainable future with an emphasis on innovation and ecology,” said Olivier Michard, Member of the Board responsible for Sales and Marketing at Solaris Bus & Coach Sp. z o.o.

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Over the past few months alone, Solaris has landed new orders from Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Duisburg and Gross Gerau, among other towns and cities. The total number of Solaris hydrogen-powered buses, supplied or ordered so far, has already exceeded 700 units, the manufacturer states. 

Rheinbahn Düsseldorf goes with Solaris for fuel cell buses

The city has been implementing its strategy by adding both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered units to its urban fleet. 20 e-buses by VDL have been ordered in 2023. In December 2020, Rheinbahn had put ten battery-powered buses from Irizar e-mobility into service – eight of which were destroyed four months later in a fire at the bus depot in Heerdt (38 buses in total were affected). These are currently being delivered after Rheinbahn immediately reordered them.

The ordered buses will be powered by green hydrogen, produced exclusively using renewable electricity. Stadtwerke Düsseldorf is investing in a one-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer to produce green hydrogen locally. Rheinbahn is procuring 20 fuel cell buses as part of its transition to climate-friendly vehicles. These buses will be refueled at an H2 MOBILITY filling station located on the Stadtwerke’s premises in Flingern. It is expected to be built on the Stadtwerke’s premises no later than mid-2024. Until then, Rheinbahn’s buses will refuel with hydrogen at Oerschbachstraße in Düsseldorf-Reisholz.

The 12-metre hydrogen buses will feature a 70 kW Ballard hydrogen fuel cell, which will be supported by Solaris High Power batteries. The bus will also be equipped with a wide range of systems compliant with GSR2 requirements, which will provide passengers and drivers with the highest levels of safety.

“Solaris has been continuously promoting sustainable transport by offering the widest range of zero-emission vehicles. Our partnership with Düsseldorf dates back to 2005, and it has included, among other things, purchases of electric buses. I am very pleased that our hydrogen buses will also serve the residents of Düsseldorf as part of its municipal public transport as soon as next year”, said Olivier Michard, Member of the Solaris Management Board for Sales and Marketing.

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“The agreement marks a new phase in the established partnership between Ballard and NFI, focused on deployment-level volumes of fuel cell powered buses across all of NFI’s major brands including New Flyer, Alexander Dennis, and MCI”, Ballard states in a press note.

A minimum of 100 fuel cell modules for NFI

As part of the deal, NFI has placed its first purchase order under the agreement for a minimum of 100 FCmove-HD+ modules for planned delivery in 2024. The modules will primarily be produced in Ballard’s Bend, Oregon facility with Buy America compliance, and will power New Flyer’s next generation Xcelsior CHARGE FC hydrogen fuel cell buses for deployment across the US and Canada, including California, Manitoba, Nevada, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

“This agreement is the next step in our multi-decade partnership with Ballard and a key component in advancing our leading fuel cell bus offerings,” said David White, Executive Vice President, Supply Management, NFI. “By working with Ballard across numerous bus products in multiple jurisdictions, we have been able to leverage best practices and generate design, engineering and sourcing synergies. With growing demand for fuel cell buses, we are excited to continue this partnership as we drive the transition to zero-emission transportation.”  

“We are proud NFI (and subsidiaries New Flyer, Alexander Dennis, and MCI) has chosen Ballard as their committed partner for the next phase of growth in the fuel cell bus market,” said David Mucciacciaro, Ballard Chief Commercial Officer. “We believe New Flyer is well positioned to deliver deployment scale volumes of fuel cell buses, particularly in the US market, where operators increasingly prefer hydrogen fuel cell powered buses for their range, short refueling times, high-availability, and cost-effective infrastructure requirements.”

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The consulting company “forecasts a low penetration of fuel cell city buses, restricted to a limited number of countries investing heavily in building hydrogen infrastructure and to those bus route schedules that are unfeasible for one BEV bus to operate. There may be greater potential for FCEV in the intercity coach market“.

IDTechEx report on fuel cell technology

The report examines the FCEV market with historic and current adoption, drivers and barriers, TCO analysis, model benchmarking, and forecasts for units, fuel cell demand, battery demand, and market value across cars, vans, trucks, and buses.

“Although there are commercially available fuel cell buses, most have been produced as part of pilot programs, with strong support from the government – the consulting states -. The upfront cost of FCEV buses is considerably higher than BEV buses and not price competitive with the ICE technology. Whilst FCEV buses are viable, improving, and, sources suggest, could become cost-competitive with BEV buses, the great unanswered issue facing fuel cell technologies is how sufficient ‘Green’ hydrogen can be produced to make them feasible“.

While IDTechEx predicts that BEVs will also be the dominant solution in the zero-emission truck market, “there is certainly a greater opportunity for FCEVs here than in other on-road transport segments, with IDTechEx forecasting that FC trucks will be 19% of the zero-emission heavy-duty truck market in 2044“.

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When the fuel cell buses enter revenue service within the next few years, they will replace 16- to 17-year-old diesel buses that have exceeded their useful lifespan. 

SamTrans to purchase 108 fuel cell buses

The contract for the 108 new 40-foot low-floor FCEB buses is being awarded to New Flyer of America, with a contract price not to exceed $168.25 million. 

The board’s purchase approval helps the district add to its growing number of zero-emission vehicles set for service in San Mateo County. SamTrans will have 17 battery electric buses (BEBs) operating as part of its fleet by the end of December and will launch the first of 10 FCEBs later this winter. 

The contract also allows for the purchase of FCEBs to support new routes included in the Reimagine SamTrans service plan with a focus on historically underserved communities. 

“We’re very excited about expanding the use of these zero-emission vehicles,” said Board of Directors Chair Josh Powell. “The buses proposed for purchase have a range of 300 miles or more when fully fueled, which will meet or exceed the route needs within the district.”  

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rnv has set itself the goal of converting its entire vehicle fleet in the Mannheim-Ludwigshafen-Heidelberg metropolitan area to locally emission-free drives by 2032.

Since 2018, the transport company based in Mannheim has already received 36 eCitaro electric solo buses and integrated them into regular service.

eCitaro G fuel cell in Rhine-Neckar region

In addition to the three eCitaro G fuel cell vehicles (the vehicle was launched at UITP Summit 2023), a further 45 eCitaro articulated buses of identical design will be delivered by mid-2025, Daimler Truck states summing up the order secured in October 2022. 40 of the total 48 vehicles will be destined for regular service in Mannheim and Heidelberg. The eight other buses will be used in Ludwigshafen am Rhein.

In addition, rnv has an order option for an additional 27 eCitaro G fuel cell vehicles, with which rnv’s bus quota can be increased to a total of 75 fully electric fuel cell articulated buses provided by Daimler Buses by 2027 if required.

rnv’s decarbonization goal is receiving support to achieve this ambitious objective through the H2Rhein-Neckar and H2Rivers funding projects.

Before the new eCitaro G fuel cell electric articulated buses are used in regular service in the rnv operating area, they will first undergo what is known as a test operation until the beginning of 2024. In addition to instructing and intensively training drivers, rnv will use this period of time for test refueling and range estimations, among other things, in order to be able to optimally design and shape operations on the routes in Mannheim, Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen. The the H2Rhein-Neckar project’s accompanying scientific research will evaluate the data from day-to-day operation and provide further indications for optimizing processes in the depot, energy consumption and route planning.

Focus on the eCitaro G fuel cell for Mannheim

The three-door electric articulated buses with fuel cell range extender each have four battery packs with the latest generation of lithium-ion batteries (NMC3) and a battery capacity of 392 kWh per vehicle. They form the basis of the power supply. The hydrogen supply of the 60 kW fuel cell is provided by six H₂ cylinders, each with a capacity of five kilograms, installed on the vehicle roof. The hydrogen tanks are refueled on the right above the second axle in the direction of travel.

Both the center and rear axles of the articulated buses are powered by ZF AxTrax technology. The vehicle is driven by two low-floor portal axles with electric motors near the wheels, each with 250 kW of output.

30 charging stations supply rnv’s electric buses with electricity, supplemented by two recently completed hydrogen refueling stations. The batteries are charged with 150 kW charging capacity, and the hydrogen tanks are refueled at a refueling pressure of 350 bar at rnv depots in Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen or in their immediate vicinity.

The safety equipment in rnv’s eCitaro G fuel cell electric articulated buses includes a variety of state-of-the-art assistance systems. This includes the world’s first active brake assistant, Preventive Brake Assist, which was specially developed for scheduled-service buses. Together with Sideguard Assist, this protects particularly vulnerable road users.

The passenger compartment of the new buses is characterized by its appealing design. This ranges from Mercedes-Benz City Star Eco seating with 50 passenger seats, featuring seat and backrest surfaces with gray or orange fabric covers striking fresh notes, to the handrails in pastel orange and the floor in a wood look. Three double-width and electrically powered inward-swinging doors allow for a rapid passenger turnaround. Information and entertainment on board are provided by twelve double USB sockets for passengers’ electronic devices, as well as two large 29-inch TFT screens. The EvoThermatic basic roof-mounted air conditioning system with heat pump and an active filter with antiviral function, as well as additional filters for blower heaters, ensure a healthy and comfortable climate on board.

The delivery of the eCitaro G fuel cell in Mannheim

The ceremonial handover of the first three Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G fuel cell vehicles took place on November 23, 2023 on the premises of the rnv depot at Bergheimer Strasse 155 in Heidelberg in the presence of Dr Andre Baumann, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy of Germany’s Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. Till Oberwörder, CEO of Daimler Buses, handed over the keys of the three premiere vehicles to Martin in der Beek, Technical Director of Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH, as well as Prof. Dr Eckart Würzner, Mayor of the City of Heidelberg.

As Till Oberwörder, CEO of Daimler Buses said: “We are proud of the long-standing partnership with Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH, which is manifested in today’s handover of the first Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G fuel cell. The birth and production site of our city buses and the rnv headquarters are closely linked in Mannheim, which strengthens this site within the Rhine-Neckar region for both enterprises.”

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The vehicles ordered will be the first ever hydrogen-powered vehicles to be deployed in the city. In Poland, hydrogen vehicles already successfully ply routes in the cities of Konin, Poznań and Lublin.

Solaris fuel cell bus for Wałbrzych

The Urbino 12 hydrogen model is fuelled solely with hydrogen converted to electricity in the fuel cell by Ballard. The fuel cell acts as a miniature power plant aboard the vehicle drawing fuel from hydrogen tanks located on the roof. The bus can cover at least 350 km with full tanks, Solaris says, and their refuelling takes about 10 minutes, depending on the infrastructure.

The 12-metre buses will feature 70 kW fuel cells that draw hydrogen from five tanks with a total capacity of 1,560 litres. The hydrogen-powered Solaris buses will also feature a relatively small Solaris High Power traction battery, to support the fuel cell when the demand for electricity increases. The drive unit will be a central electric motor.

The vehicles will offer 31 seats, including 10 with increased accessibility, i. e. without any additional steps. What is more, they will boast a bay for wheelchair-bound passengers and those with pushchairs or prams. The buses will refill with hydrogen at a hydrogen refuelling station located at a gas station on Warszawska Street in Poznan.

“Solaris is committed to creating more sustainable and environmentally friendly towns and cities. We are extremely proud that the city of Wałbrzych has chosen us as a partner to introduce hydrogen technology to its public transport. Hydrogen buses improve the quality of air in the city and, at the same time, they offer long ranges and superior travel comfort”, said Dariusz Michalak, CTO at Solaris Bus & Coach, who attended the contract signing.

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Despite the initial excitement, Pau faced significant challenges over the next four years, including nearly doubled costs for hydrogen (H2) fuel and operational difficulties.

Now Pau turns to battery-electric technology

Jérémie Neillo, the transport operations manager in Pau, recently revealed to the French magazine La Gazette des Communes (later picked up by German trade media Omnibus.news) that the municipality is now looking to transition to battery electric vehicle (BEV) buses. Neillo explained that hydrogen had proven too difficult to handle on a daily basis, prompting the decision to purchase eight BEV buses annually for the next decade.

Neillo emphasized the ongoing challenges in maintaining the fuel cell buses’ operational efficiency, leading the municipality to negotiate maintenance contracts with project partners GNVert (gas station operator) and Van Hool (bus manufacturer) to control operating costs, which reportedly amount to nearly one million euros per year. Despite the high costs, according to local media, Neillo defended the initial decision to invest in fuel cell buses, citing government support for hydrogen drives at the project’s inception. However, he acknowledged that if the project were initiated today, it would be more questionable.

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The first three of these emission-free Solaris buses will be delivered to the city of Krefeld in western Germany (25 km north-west of Dusseldorf) by the end of 2024, with the remaining seven scheduled for delivery by May 2025, according to plans.

Fuel cell buses for Krefeld

Solaris says it has a portfolio of 450 ordered hydrogen buses for next years and 140 already delivered and operating in public transport in several European cities. The German market is one of the most active when it comes to equipping its fleets with hydrogen buses. Urbino hydrogen buses are already in operation in cities such as Cologne, Wuppertal, Hofolding, Weimar, Frankfurt, Gross-Zimmern, and the Munich metropolitan area. Additional contracts are in progress, including those for Aschaffenburg, Güstrow, Gross-Gerau, Hamburg, and Duisburg.

The Urbino 12 hydrogen vehicles ordered by Krefeld will be equipped with a central electric motor with a power output of 160 kW. These buses will be powered by energy from a hydrogen fuel cell and will also feature Solaris High Power batteries, serving as an additional electric energy storage. Thermal comfort will be ensured by a CO2 heat pump.

SWK Mobil Krefeld has opted for fleet management support through eSConnect, Solaris’ proprietary tool that provides complete access to the data necessary for assessing bus performance and planning their continued operation.

“The development of hydrogen-powered buses is gaining momentum, and Solaris proudly stands as a leader in driving this change. I congratulate SWK Mobil Krefeld on their strategic decision to invest in a cleaner and better future for the region’s residents,” stated Olivier Michard, Member of the Solaris Board responsible for Sales and Marketing.

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Toyota is quote active in the fuel cell bus segment through a partnership with Portuguese manufacturer CaetanoBus. At the recent Busworld 2023 a Temsa coach with Toyota fuel cell technology was on display.

Toyota supplies fuel cell modules for Paris Olympics 2024

Toyota will supply GCK – a group of industrial companies offering technological solutions to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport – with hydrogen fuel cell modules to convert ten used Iveco coaches into zero tailpipe emission electric vehicles. 

The converted coaches will be purchased by B.E. Green – a French company providing carbon-neutral transportation services – who will introduce the hydrogen vehicles into its existing fleet after use at the Games, still according to Toyota’s press note. The first converted long-distance coach with the Toyota fuel cell module was presented today at the RNTP Transport Event in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

During conversion, the diesel engine and gearbox in the front of a coach are replaced with a 370kW electric motor, batteries, and a Toyota TFCM2-B fuel cell module.

Thiebault Paquet, Vice President Toyota Motor Europe, Hydrogen Factory: “The conversion of coaches into fuel cell electric vehicles is another important step towards achieving carbon neutrality in the transport sector. This co-operation perfectly illustrates how hydrogen applications benefit all business stakeholders and become long-term solutions. All ten fuel cell coaches will allow Toyota to transport guests during Paris 2024 with zero tailpipe emissions. We’d like to thank our partners for their combined efforts – being pioneers and accelerators of the hydrogen society, while making this possible in time for the Games”.

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